Health Care Happenings Around the Nation

With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), known to many of us as Health Care Reform, many group plans and most individual plans have been updated to be in compliance. Some of these mandates include:

• Lifetime Maximum Benefit Amounts. Certain lifetime maximum limits have been eliminated.
• Dependent Eligibility. A child will be considered a dependent up to the age of 26 regardless of student status, marital status, financial dependency, or residency. This change however does not extend to a dependent child of the insured's dependent (up to age 26).
• Pre-Existing Condition(s) for Children. Children under age 19 are no longer subject to pre-existing conditions. This does not mean, however, a policy (such as individual), will not be rated for such condition(s).
• Preventive Benefits. PPACA requires that preventive care benefits are covered by the insurer 100% with no cost share. Certain rules are still applicable when accessing non-participating provider care.

For more information, please contact our office or send us an email.